Ixia Buys Austin-based BreakingPoint Systems

Ixia, a provider of IP and wireless network test systems, announced today its acquisition of Austin-based BreakingPoint Systems, a security testing firm, for $160 million in cash.
The deal is expected to close by the end of September pending regulatory approvals.
BreakingPoint’s security products allow Ixia to offer its customers a strong defense against Cyber attacks.
“The current threat landscape is changing everything from the way we conduct business, to how we protect data and secure infrastructures, to the way we train cyber warriors,” Vic Alston, Ixia’s president and CEO said in a news statement. “This dynamic IT landscape is creating a growing demand for solutions that provide definitive and current insight into the resiliency of critical IT infrastructures and defenses. The use of disparate testing tools, threat intelligence, and monitoring products allows dangerous security vulnerabilities that erode the security posture of businesses and government agencies.”
BreakingPoint had revenue of $33.5 million in 2011, up 40 percent from a year earlier.
“As a leader in cyber security research, BreakingPoint has built a library of more than 34,000 attacks, exploits, malware, and more,” Dennis Cox, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of BreakingPoint. said in a news statement. “Joining forces with Ixia creates a powerful platform in security and application testing — one with an extensive global sales reach into enterprises, service providers, and government agencies.”